Apparatus for generating gaseous fuel



June 11, 1957 u. F. GOCHOEL 2,795,493

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GASEOUS FUEL Filed Nov. 16, 1954 2 She ets-Sheet 1 F IG- 2 mmvrok A URBAN E GOCHOEL BY W Wham-v ATTORN EYS' June 1 1957 y u. F. GOCHOEL 2,

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GASEOUS FUEL Filed Nov. 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 126 INVENTOR. URBAN E GOCHOEL 69 BY (I ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GASEOUS FUEL Urban F. IGochoel, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to John T. Stanko, Dayton, Ohio Application November 16, 1954, Serial No. 469,097

8 Claims. (Cl. 48-144) This invention relates to a system for generating a fuel and particularly to a method and apparatus for generating a gaseous fuel suitable for use in connection with a cooking stove, a water heater, a space heater, or any other purpose for which liquid and gaseous fuels are usually employed.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of a convenient and economical apparatus for generating a combustible gaseous fuel and a method of generating a combustible gaseous fuel.

A particular object of the present invention is a provision of a method and apparatus for converting a volatile liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel, particularly for use in cooking stoves, water heaters and the like.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for converting a liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel to which a minimum of explosive hazard is present and in which relative small pressures are employed.

1 A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a system for converting a liquid fuel such as gasoline into a gaseous fuel and in which a minimum amount of the liquid fuel is handled at any time and in which minimum pressures are encountered.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a gaseous fuel arrangement which can be utilized indoors or outdoors with perfect safety.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for converting a liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel and for utilizing the gaseous fuel in the burner of a cooking stove or the like and in which any delay between the instant of turning the burner on and the supply of combustible gaseous fuel thereto is eliminated.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a gaseous fuel generating system of the nature referred to which is completely automatic in operation.

The foregoing objects as well as still other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cooking stove in association with a gas generator according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the generator of the Figure 1 arrangement.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly in the section showing the tank in which the actual conversion of the liquid fuel to a gaseous fuel takes place.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a float valve associated with the tank of Figure 3 for maintaining a pre-determined level of liquid fuel therein.

Figure 5 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing a modified gas generator; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatical view showing an arrangement wherein at least a small volume of gaseous Patented June 11, 1957 fuel is maintained under pressure so that a burner being supplied with the gaseous fuel will light substantially instantaneously when turned on.

General arrangement The several objects of the present invention are obtained, generally, by converting a volatile liquid fuel, preferably a hydro-carbon such as gasoline into a gaseous fuel while simultaneously mixing air therewith and delivering the mixture to a burner where it is to be burned. In the preferred form, which my invention takes, the liquid fuel, preferably a white gasoline is supplied to a generating tank and maintained therein at a predetermined level. Within the tank above the gasoline is a porous member through which the gaseous fuel generated rises. Air is supplied to the gasoline in the bottom of the tank and the gasoline is also maintained at a predetermined elevated temperature which facilitates the vaporization thereof and enhances the pick up of gasoline vapors by the air bubbling therethrough.

The gasoline vapor air mixture in the upper end of the tank is piped to the burner which is to utilize the gaseous fuel.

In order to prevent the porous member from becoming sufficiently dry to absorb gasoline vapors, there is preferably provided a pilot line which provides for a continuous supply of droplets of raw gasoline to the up per surface to the porous member.

A compressed air supply means consisting of a compressor, a receiver tank, a pressure regulator, and automatic control means therefor maintains an adequate and continuous supply of air to the generating tank.

According to one modification, the generating tank may be reduced in size and the air passing thereto heated so that the pickup of vapor from the gasoline by the air, is substantially instantaneous, whereby the necessity of the porous dividing member and the generating tank is eliminated.

According to another modification of the present invention the gaseous fuel line leading to the burner or burners utilizing the fuel, is provided with a chamber having a spring loaded piston therein with the piston being responsive to the suction developed by the air compressor, so that whenever the compressor operates the piston draws a charge of gaseous fuel into the chamber and thereafter, when the compressor stops, the spring loading the piston maintains the charge of fuel under pressure so that Structure arrangements Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail Figure 1 shows a stove 10 having burners 12 with control knobs 14 that control the supply of gas from a header 16 to the said burners. Header 16 is connected by a conduit 18 with a tank 20 located in a cabinet 22 which may be conveniently arranged at one end of stove 10 by which can, as well, be in a more remote location if desired.

Referring to Figure 2, together with Figure 1 will disclose the nature of the components within the cabinet 22. The cabinet 22 and the components therein comprise a generator or converter. for converting a volatile liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel under at least a slight pressure.

In addition to tank 20, the compartment 22 comprises a liquid fuel supply tank 24 that may have a sight glass 26 to indicate the level of the liquid therein, and may alsobe provided with a filling opening 28. A conduit 30 having a cut-off valve 32 therein runs downfrom supply tank;

3 24 to a float controlled valve 34 that is connected tothe bottom of generator tank 21).

Reference to Figures 3 and 4 will indicate that fioat controlled valve 34 is connectedby conduit 36 with the space in generator tank '24 beneath a porous divider mern ber 38. This porous divider member can'consist of any porous material such as a porous sintered metal plate, a pad of glass fibers, or any other suitable material characterized in being porous and having multiple channels therethrough. t I

Within float valve 34 there is a float member 40 that controls a valve member 42 adapted for engaging seat 44 at the lower end of conduit 30. The arrangement maintains a pre-determined liquid level in the bottom'of tank 20.

In the upper end of tank 20 there is a discharge conduit 46 which may advantageously include a shut off valve 48 and which leads to conduit 18.

The float valve 34 may, if necessary, comprise a vent conduit 50 running from the upper end thereof to conduit 46 thereby to prevent a vapor lock from causing the float valve to become inoperative.

Returning to Figure 3, it will be seen that beneath porous divider member 38 there is immersed in the liquid therein a hollow drum-like element 52 which is provided with apertures 54 in its bottom wall. Extending into top wall of element 52 is an air supply conduit 56. It will be evident that a supply of air to the element 52 will cause bubbles of air to pass through perforations 54 and into the liquid fuel in the bottom of tank 20 whereupon the air will move upwardly through porous divider member 38 to the upper end of tank 20.

The pick up of vapors by the air can be speeded up by providing a heating element 58, preferably electrically energized, which may be located within tank 20 or on which the tank 20 rests, as illustrated. The heater 58 is connected to the power lines L1 and L2 (Figure 2) and is in series with a thermostatic controlled switch 60 extending through the wall of tank 20 in the vapor compartment thereof. A control switch 61 is provided for interrupting the supply of energy to the heater 58.

In order to maintain porous divider plate 38 moist with gasoline so that the vapor chamber thereabout will not be lacking in combustible vapors, there is provided a pilot conduit 66 branching 011' from conduit 30 and including a needle valve 68. Conduit 66 has its end 7 extend.-.

ing through the wall of tank 20 so droplets of raw gasoline drop on to porous divider member 38 continuously and maintain the divider member moist with gasoline.

Referring again to Figure 2 the air supply conduit 56 leads through a pressure regulating valve 71 to a receiving tank 72 which is supplied with air pressure from compressor 74 via conduit 76. Motor 78 drives compressor 74 and is connected in circuit with control switch. 62. The operation of the compressor is under the control of pressure switch 79 according to conventional practices.

In the Figure modification a source of air under pressure is connected to a conduit 90 leadingsto a chamber 92 within which there is located an air heating element 94 surrounded by heat dissipating ribs 96 for an efiicient transfer of heat to the stream of air passing through the chamber. A thermostat 98 associated with the-chamber controls the supply of energy to heating element 94 so that the air discharged from the chamber through conduit 100 is always about the same temperature.

102 and is located within a chamber 104 to which raw gasoline is supplied by conduit 106.1'11 anamountthat will at least cover the end of conduit A heater 108 maintains the gasoline within thechamber 104 heated, and?! thermostat 110 controls the supply of energy to said heater.

The .Figure 5 arrangement is somewhat simpler -than themodification previously described and can be em- The discharge end of conduit is perforated as at .ployed where the volumetric requirements of gaseous fuel are less severe than for the first described modification.

In Figure 6 there is illustrated a modification wherein a gaseous fuel generator tank is supplied with compressed air by a compressor 122 while the gaseous fuel is discharged from the tank to a conduit 124. Conduit 124 leads to a stove or other consumer of the gaseous fuel 126 through the check valves 12S. Connected with conduit 124 between check valves 128 is a chamber 130 having a piston 132 therein urged by a spring 134 toward the end of the chamber to which conduit 124 is connected. A hollow rod 136 is connectedto piston 132 and extends through the end wall of the chamber.

The rod is provided with the spaced holes 138 opening into the hollow interior of the rod. The suction side of compressor 122 is connected by conduit 140 with the inside of chamber 130. In operation, when the compressor 122 runs the suction developed within the chamber moves the piston therein leftwardly against the bias of spring 134 and draws a change of gaseous fuel into the chamber, and, thereafter, when the stove is turned off and even though the compressor is no longer running, a charge of gaseous fuel of substantial quantity is entrapped in chamber 130 and maintained under pressure so that as soon as a burner on the stove is turned on there will be a supply of gaseous fuel thereto to cause instantaneous igniting thereof.

From the foregoing it will be evident that my'invention provides a simple and convenient means of generating a gaseous fuel from a liquid fuel, particularly where the liquid fuel is one of the more volatile hydro-carbons such as gasoline but that my invention eliminates extremely high pressures such as are usually encountered in-connection with gasoline heating appliances, and likewise eliminates the necessity of having a supply of liquid fuel under high pressure in the region that combustion is taking place either in a container or in pipes or conduits leading to the burner of the device.

It will be apparent that while my invention has been illustrated in connection with electric heating elements and an electric motor for developing the necessary air' pressure, my invention could be practiced in the absence of electric energyby manually supplying air to .the air tank 72, and utilizing the gaseous fuel generated to supply a btuner for controlling the heat desired in connection with the generator tank in order to increase the speed of vaporization of'the liquid fuel.

It will also be evident that while I have shown and described an air tank as a part of the system according to my invention, the air tank could be. eliminated simply by operating the compressor continuously whenever the device was in operation and controlling the amount of air passing therefrom through the gas generator.

It will be understood thatthis invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to diiferent usages and conditions, and, accordingly, it is desired to com prehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a gaseous fuel generator; a closed container, a porous divider member of substantial thickness closely fitted into the container dividing it into an upper gas compartment and a lower liquid compartment and comprising a multiplicity of fine passages that substantially prevent liquid from passing upwardly therethrough, means for maintaining a predetermined level of liquid fuel in the liquid compartment, said level being below the top of the divider member, means for bubbling air under pressure through the liquid invsaid compartment whereby it picks up vapors from the liquid and then passes up,- wardly through. the porous divider member into the gas compartment, and means for maintaining the liquid fuel at a pr termin d temper ture- 2- Ina g s ou f g ator; avos c n in t porous divider member closely fitted in the container dividing it into an upper gas compartment and a lower liquid compartment and comprising a multiplicity of fine passages that substantially prevent any liquid from passing upwardly therethrough, means for maintaining a predetermined level of liquid fuel in the liquid compartment, means for bubbling air under pressure through the liquid in said compartment whereby it picks up vapors from the liquid and then passes upwardly through the porous divider member into the gas compartment, and means for maintaining the liquid fuel at a predetermined temperature, there also being means for supplying a small quantity of raw liquid fuel to the upper surface of said porous divider member to maintain it moist at all times.

3. In a gaseous fuel generator; a cabinet, means in the cabinet for supplying air under pressure, a generator tank in the cabinet comprising a lower liquid fuel compartment and an upper gaseous fuel compartment and a porous divider member therebetween, a liquid tank in the cabinet, a conduit connecting the liquid tank with said generator tank including a float controlled valve for maintaining a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel in said liquid compartment, a hollow drum perforated on the bottom immersed in the liquid in said liquid fuel compartment, means for supplying air under pressure from said air supply means to the interior of said drum whereby the air bubbles through the liquid fuel and picks up vapors therefrom and then passes upwardly through said porous divider member into said gaseous fuel compartment, and means for maintaining the liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment at a pre-determined elevated temperature.

4. In a gaseous fuel generator; a cabinet, a generator tank in the cabinet comprising a lower raw liquid fuel compartment and an upper gaseous fuel compartment and a porous divider member therebetween, a liquid tank in the cabinet, a conduit connecting the liquid tank with said generator tank including a float controlled valve for maintaining a pre-determined quantity of liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, a hollow drum perforated on the bottom immersed in the liquid in said liquid fuel compartment, means for supplying air under pressure from said air supply means to the interior of said drum whereby the air bubbles through the liquid fuel and picks up vapors therefrom and then passes upwardly through said porous divider member into said gaseous fuel compartment, and means for maintaining the liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment at a pre-determined elevated temperature.

5. In a gaseous fuel generator, a cabinet, a generator tank in the cabinet comprising a lower raw liquid fuel compartment and an upper gaseous fuel compartment and a porous divider member therebetween, a liquid tank in the cabinet, a conduit connecting the liquid tank with said generator tank-including a float controlled valve for maintaining a pre-determined quantity of liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, a hollow drum perforated on the bottom immersed in the liquid in said liquid fuel compartment, means for supplying air under pressure from said air supply means to the interior of said drum whereby the air bubbles through the liquid fuel and picks up vapors therefrom and then passes upwardly through said porous divider member into said gaseous fuel compartment, a heater for supplying heat to the liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, and thermostatic means located in said gaseous fuel compartment connected for controlling the supply of energy to said heating means.

6. In a gaseous fuel generator, a cabinet, a generator tank in the cabinet comprising a lower raw liquid fuel compartment .and an upper gaseous fuel compartment and a porous divider member therebetween, a liquid tank in the cabinet, a conduit connecting the liquid tank with said generator tank including a float controlled valve for maintaining a pre-determined quantity of liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, a hollow drum ,perforated on the bottom immersed in the liquid in said liquid fuel compartment, means for supplying air under pressure from said air supply means to the interior of said drum whereby the air bubbles through the liquid fuel and picks up vapors therefrom and then passes upwardly through said porous divider member into said gaseous fuel compartment, a heater for supplying heat to the liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, and thermostatic means located in said gaseous fuel compartment connected for controlling the supply of energy to said heating means, said heating means being electrically operated and said air supply means comprising an electric motor driven compressor, and switch means for interrupting the supply of energy to said heating means and to said compressor motor.

7. In combination; a heating device comprising a burner adapted for burning a gaseous fuel, .a generating tank comprising a lower liquid fuel compartment and an upper gaseous fuel compartment, a porous divider member of substantial thickness tightly fitted into said tank and separating said compartments comprising a multiplicity of fine passages that substantially prevent any fuel reaching said upper compartment in a liquid state, conduit means connecting said gaseous fuel compartment with said burner, means for maintaining a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment, said level being below the top of the divider member, means for supplying air under pressure to said liquid fuel compartment so that it bubbles through the liquid therein and then passes upwardly through said porous divider member to said gaseous fuel compartment where it is available for being supplied to said burner via said conduit, and heating means for maintaining the liquid fuel in said liquid fuel compartment at predetermined temperature.

8. In a gaseous fuel generator; a generator tank, a porous divider member of substantial thickness fitted into the tank dividing it into a lower liquid fuel compartment and an upper gaseous fuel compartment, means for maintaining the predetermined level of liquid fuel in said lower compartment, said level being below the top of the divider member, means withdrawing gaseous fuel from said upper compartment, and means for supplying air under pressure to said liquid fuel in the lower compartment and for distributing it through the said fuel whereby the air bubbles up through the liquid fuel and picks up vapors therefrom, said vapor-laden air then passing through said porous divider member into said gaseous fuel compartment, said porous divider member dividing said vapor-laden air into a multiplicity of fine streams thereby substantially preventing any liquid from passing from the lower compartment to the upper compartment.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 673,365 Hopkins- Apr. 30, 1901 1,888,059 Wannack Nov. 15, 1932 2,079,586 Atwell May 4, 1937 2,123,884 Faverty July 19, 1938 2,163,871 Diescher June 27, 1939 2,678,202 Brake May 11, 1954 

1. IN A GASEOUS FUEL GENERATOR; A CLOSED CONTAINER, A POROUS DIVIDER MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS CLOSELY FITTED INTO THE CONTAINER DIVIDING IT INTO AN UPPER GAS COMPARTMENT AND A LOWER LIQUID COMPARTMENT AND COMPRISING A MULTIPLICITY OF FINE PASSAGES THAT SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENT LIQUID FROM PASSING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED LEVEL OF LIQUID FUEL IN THE LIQUID COMPARTMENT, SAID LEVEL BEING BELOW THE TOP OF THE DIVIDER MEMBER, MEANS FOR BUBBLING AIR UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH THE LIQUID IN SAID COMPARTMENT WHEREBY IT PICKS UP VAPORS FROM THE LIQUID AND THEN PASSES UPWARDLY THROUGH THE POROUS DIVIDER MEMBER INTO THE GAS COMPARTMENT, AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE LIQUID FUEL AT A PRE-DETERMINED TEMPERATURE. 